From last week's BlackSmith Camp in Lithuania with all of our students and my friend, Simon Black, from Sovereign Man. He's the guy choking me.

I was still good to go for this morning's squat workout. It went like this:

1A) Hang Clean 1B) Squat

2A) Good Morning 2B) Row

3A) BB Reverse Lunge 3B) Dips

Tomorrow is an off-day with an early flight back to Toronto and then a big dog walk with the ol' stinker pooch, Bally the Dog.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: Live virtuously without exception or excuses. Stay true and pure. Be honest and vulnerable. Act with integrity – always. Or don’t… and pay the consequences.

Stay gold,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT PS - Tonight...

Do an end-of-day brain dump to end your day. Switch your mind from job to family, and separate work time from non-work time. Grab some paper, scribble out all work-related thoughts, and put them away until tomorrow. Stick to this hard ‘quitting time’ for your day. Now go live life for the rest of the evening.

PS - But wait, what if you've already bought these workouts online? If you had previously purchased one of those workouts, you can login to the app with the same username and password that you've always used. If it doesn't work, just use the "Forgot Password" feature in the app -- if that doesn't work, just reply to this email and we'll get you setup with a new password.

Every flight was on time. I got a little sleep. I found some healthy food in Chicago's O'Hare airport (which actually wasn't hard... I even stumbled across a make-your-own salad joint in Terminal 1 near the C gates).

And I watched Batman vs. Superman. It was a little ridiculous, but not as bad as perhaps most people made it out to be.

So I left Vilnius at 12:30pm on Tuesday and got into my apartment in Denver at 1am on Wednesday. There's a 9 hour time difference in there.

But I accumulated three naps of 2.5 hours each along the way, and so I woke up at 5am today and managed a decent workout.

Tomorrow is a big filming day for me, so I needed to get back on track.

Today's Training:

1A) Military Press 1B) Front Squat

2A) Overhead Squat 2B) Chin-up with Knee-Up

Post-Holiday Weight = 171 pounds

I didn't lose as much weight as I expected, as that's usually the case when I miss out on weight training workouts.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship." – Thomas Aquinas… Eliminate Stuff. Accumulate Love. Want less. Contribute more. Buy less. Create more. Give away a material object today. Replace it with an experience. Do something fun. Create a memory. Give praise to a friend. Mail a thank you card, call a family member, stretch your bounds of giving. Give so much that you think it will hurt, for it never will.

They've already asked me to cut at least 6 exercises and do an A-B split.

So enjoy the uncensored version!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: "I salute those who get up early, do the work, overcome one adversity after another, set high goals and expectations for themselves and then show up everyday and do whatever it takes to get it done." – Bedros Keuilian

That is how you do it,

Craig Ballantyne

PS - It's on!

The Orlando fall fitness & personal training seminar is now open for you to grab an early bird spot.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Because you know, it seemed like a good idea at the time (I'm referring to the final ladder superset).

Workout went like this:

1A) Prisoner Squat 1B) Spiderman Climb

2A) Sphinx Pushup 2B) Prisoner Lunge 2C) Iron Cross

3A) Jumping Jack 10-8-6-4-2 3B) Burpee 2-4-6-8-10

LOL.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:“You must choose between the various alternatives in order to make the most of the time and energy we do have. We choose constantly in order to bring as much happiness as possible, while using up as little time and energy as possible.” – Harry Browne

This didn't seem like much to me but it rocked most of the kids so we stopped there. Some of them stayed around to do a post-workout workout with my buddy, former military man and West Point cadet, Simon Black.

Good times.

Couple more good workouts coming your way soon.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:All the planning in the world is no good if you don’t follow through. Be a robotic action-taker. Eliminate your excuses about lack of time, distractions, ‘emergencies’, and take action on what really matters in your life. Write that book. Save that marriage. Raise healthy kids. Lose that weight. Reconnect with that special friend. The time is now.

Take advantage of it,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Make the right decisions, right now, for your right life.

Know what matters. Eliminate distractions. Concentrate one what counts. Don't let society impose its standards on you. You are the one that sets the bar for your behavior. Think - and act - for yourself.

Quit living in your old ways. Try something new... Change your workout. Eat octopus. Do Karaoke. Let your guard down. Trust someone. Help a new person in your life. Give freely without any expectation of something in return. Do something different...because what got you here won't get you to the next level in life.

Monday, July 18, 2016

There's been no gym at my hotels in Switzerland, so I've been taking the week off workouts. But we've been walking a lot.

Today was a heck of day.

It started with a ferry ride, than a steep train ride up a 7000 foot mountain, and some hiking up to the highest peak.

Here's my view from the top, overlooking Lucerne this morning.

Then it was a gondola ride to the bottom and a swim in the lake, followed with a great steak dinner.

Lucerne is 6 hours ahead of EST, so I'm going to crash soon.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Live Life!Get outside. Do Yoga in a park. Run through a forest. Swim in an ocean. Bask in the sunshine. Nap in a hammock. Cruise with windows down. Get fresh air. Then end an amazing day by sitting and talking with family. Be present. Enjoy one another. Connect with one old friend that you have not spoken with in a long time. It is meant to be. They are also thinking of contacting you. Reach out. Have gratitude for those you love and for all you have accomplished this week.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

When in Dublin, get out of town and go to Howth for a hike. #noconstruction

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And a great Meathead hotel gym workout today.

Now a flight to Zurich.

Fortunately, I'm taking a plane.

My arms & lats are too tired from this workout to fly it myself...

1A) DB 1-Arm Shoulder Press 1B) Pullup

2A) DB 1-Arm Row 2B) Triceps Extensions

Good times.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: All the planning in the world is no good if you don’t follow through. Be a robotic action-taker. Eliminate your excuses about lack of time, distractions, ‘emergencies’, and take action on what really matters in your life. Write that book. Save that marriage. Raise healthy kids. Lose that weight. Reconnect with that special friend.

Friday, July 15, 2016

Arrived yesterday afternoon and walked around the city. Had a mint tea at the Merrion Hotel. Dublin itself, in the daytime, is not nearly as charming as Edinburgh. But I think if you go to Dublin, you have to go in a "Pub frame of mind", and that's not my style.

However, this landmark is not to be missed.

Here I am in the legendary bar at Shanahan's Steakhouse in Dublin. It was worth the entire trip to Ireland just for this restaurant.

In the Oval Office you'll find pictures and framed letters from many American presidents. However, only one of them has been here... Clinton. He was here last year, and I sat in the chair in the corner where he sat.

Then we went upstairs to the restaurant and had a great steak dinner along with the excellent Shanahan side salad, broccoli, smoked Irish salmon, and other great dishes.

Now back to today's weird Westin workout in Dublin.

The exercise room was small, even by hotel standards. However, the dumbbells went up to 60 pounds, and there was a cable stack.

The weird part was that it was about 80 degrees Farenheit and 100% humidity in the little room. I was dripping by the time I was done 5 rounds of this lower-abs circuit:

1A) DB Split Squat 1B) Cable Pull Through 1C) Cable Abs

Good times. Now off to a small village on the coast for a hike, weather permitting, as it rained all night. (But the weather was great yesterday.) The sun is supposed to come out.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Set hard deadlines for your dreams, ones with REAL consequences. Make the consequences matter…i's the only way you'll change your behavior and take action before it is too late.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Last morning in Edinburgh. We had a great final dinner out, and then the Keuilians and I parted ways. They are off to Shannon, Ireland, while I'm heading to Dublin for a couple of days.

I had a chance for a quick workout:

1A) DB Chest Press 1B) Chest Supported Wide Row

2A) DB Incline Press 2B) Seated Narrow Row

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Move faster. What are you waiting for? Leap to the next level. Sprint to your finish line. Beat your own personal bests. Wake up earlier. Get ahead of your competition. Finish before they even start. The faster you move, the more momentum you build.

Listen to this for help... Reclaim your life with my #noexcuses tips here

Expert Tips: Again, quads! Keep them engaged so the entire body is working together to facilitate the movement.

Lying 1-Leg Hip ExtensionExercise and Execution: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Brace your abs, and contract your right glute (butt muscle) while you take your left leg, lift it off the floor and hold it in the position shown.

Using the right glute, bridge your hips up.

Keep your abs braced. Do not use your low back to do this exercise.

Slowly lower your hips down until they are an inch above the ground.

Perform all reps for one leg and then switch sides.

What it Works: Hamstrings, glutes, and core

Expert Tips: Keep knee aligned with hip joint – do not allow leg to cave in or splay out during the movement.

Imagine your foot is on slippery ice. Do not allow your foot to "slip" away by energetically hugging the heel toward the hips – this will deepen the engagement of the working hamstring and connect energy along the entire posterior chain.

Elevated PushupExercise and Execution: Keep the abs braced and body in a straight line from knees to shoulders.

Place the left hand on the floor and the right hand elevated 4-6 inches on a yoga block or Med ball.

With hands slightly wider than shoulder width lower your body down until you are 2 inches off the ground.

Push through your chest, shoulders, and triceps to return to the start position.

Keep your body in a straight line at all times.

What it Works: Offsets the workload on one side of the body increasing single arm strength and challenging body mechanics

Expert Tips: Engage your quads – your pushups will never be the same.

Stay lengthened & engaged through your body by pressing heels back while chest and crown of the head reach forward.

Iron CrossExercise and Execution: Begin in an athletic stance with knees soft, legs toned, and abs braced. Hold your hands out to your sides in a T-formation at all times.

Draw shoulder blades down and together keeping upper back and shoulder muscles tensed throughout the exercise.

What it Works: Isometrically contracts the muscles of the upper back and shoulders including rhomboids, deltoids, lats, rotator cuff muscles, and core.

Expert Tips: This exercise is more effective the more energy you give it – Find great alignment via posture then squeeze imagining each muscle group firing fully.

Stick UpExercise and Execution: Stand with your back against a wall with feet set 6 inches forward. Butt, upper back, and head should all be in contact with the wall at all times during the exercise.

Begin with hands up overhead. Try to keep your shoulders, elbows, and wrists in contact with the wall at all times.

Draw your shoulder blades down and together as you slide your arms down the wall and tuck your elbows into your sides. You should feel a strong contraction in the muscles between your shoulder blades as well as the shoulder muscles.

From the bottom position, try to slowly slide your arms up until they are straight and in a "stick-em up" position. Again, try to keep everything in contact with the wall.

Try to improve your range of motion in this exercise each week.

Return to the squat swinging arms back down by sides – keep chest lifted then repeat the "fake jump." Move swiftly with good form.

What it Works: The goal is to improve shoulder mobility and postural control. But you can also facilitate a stronger understanding of how to properly contract the muscles of your back and shoulders in an upright & aligned position.

Expert Tips: Try to improve your range of motion in this exercise each week.

Imagine you are doing a pull up – knowing how to engage these muscles when there is no load leads to a greater ability to use them effectively when there is a load.

Total Body Extension (TBX)Exercise and Execution: Stand with your feet just greater than shoulder-width apart.

Swing hands back by hips as you sit into a small squat.

Launch body out of the squat into a "fake jump" – coming up onto the balls of the feet with legs straight and quads engaged, as arms swing overhead.

Return to the squat swinging arms back down by sides – keep chest lifted then repeat the "fake jump." Move swiftly with good form.

What it Works: Works the entire body, including cardiovascular fitness.

Builds agility – the ability to change the body's position efficiently, and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, and endurance.

Expert Tips: Load the energy in the squat then launch as if you really were going to jump…. Stop at the top with every single muscle in your body engaged to fight the momentum of the "fake jump".

The ability to control your body in this move will translate a thousand times over in other movement patterns including those in your daily life.

Expert Tips: Sit farther back than you think you should and drive up with more pressure in the heels.

Use your exhale to return upright from the bottom of the squat and press navel to spine as you stand up.

Keep knees aligned over 2nd toes.

WYLITExercise and Execution

Lay belly down over a fit ball. Set feet wide for balance and lengthen torso to engage muscles of the spine.

W: Begin with hands up overhead. Slide elbows down creating a W and bring your shoulder blades down and together.

Y: Extend arms straight overhead with thumbs up then open them wide into a Y pattern. Keeping shoulder blades tucked down the back make small movements up & down.

L: Upper arm extends out straight from shoulder joint. Bend the elbows to 90 degrees and maintain that angle as you externally rotate the upper arm bringing fists up – more in line with the ears – and down in line with the chest.

I: Move the arms straight out in front of body; palms facing the floor. Lift arms to align with ears then lower to chest level.

T: Open arms straight out from shoulder height creating a T formation. Draw shoulder blades together and down as you create small movements up and down

What it Works: Improves shoulder mobility and trains the small muscles of the rotator cuff to work in unison with muscles of the back creating a healthy range of motion.

Expert Tips: W: Imagine tucking elbows into the waist band of your pants Y: Initiate movement from the rhomboids – the muscles in between the shoulder blades. L: Only rotate as much as you are able without force. Range of motion will improve with practice but not if you're injured! I: Rotate the palms to face each other if you have shoulder impingement issues. T: Squeeze the shoulder blades together to help facilitate a good contraction.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Sunday morning, after a poor night's sleep, I managed to have a great workout at our hotel gym.

We got lucky.

The Kensington Close Hotel, where we stayed in London, had an excellent gym, with bench press and squat rack. That's because it was an "outside member's gym" too, in addition to being the hotel gym.

I met Bedros down in the gym around 7am and we each went about our work, without much conversation.

Not knowing when I'd be back in a good gym, I did a bit of everything.

1A) Bench Press 1B) Bodyweight Row

2A) Squat 2B) DB CSR

Good times.

Then it was off to King's Cross Station to catch the train from London to Edinburgh. Here's B & his family getting settled in for the 4 hour journey.

Good times!

Meanwhile, on Saturday night, after a great dinner of gluten-free chicken meatballs over zucchini and sweet potato "noodles" at www.FFionas.com (yes, with two F's), we stumbled across a true International house of pancakes. I might have to call Mikey "Old Dutch" from now on!

Old Dutch Whitfield.

LOL.

Once we hit Edinburgh we walked around the old town, marveled at the old buildings, walked past The Elephant House (the birthplace of Harry Potter), and then had a great dinner at Howie's. I had Scottish salmon, while B had Lamb (again, for about the 7th meal in a row, LOL).

Today we'll buy some cashmere, maybe a kilt, and then head off to Loch Ness and an overnight stay in Inverness.

Here's the view from my hotel room at the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh (it's a great, modern, "Americanized" hotel ... and yes, I like to keep things familiar when it comes to hotels...)

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Be happy and content at this very moment. No more complaining. Always have gratitude for the little things in life. Give your love to the world and appreciate how lucky you are to be alive at this incredible time in history.

Saturday, July 09, 2016

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:What got you here won’t get you there, says Marshall Goldsmith. He's right. To play up at the next level, you have to improve. And when you reach that next level, it’s time to evolve again. Never peak. Never stop. Never quit.

Pancakes are an “anytime” favorite – fluffy griddle cakes topped with all kinds of sweet and savory goodies. But all too often these beloved…

Good times!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Success all starts with making the right choices, right now, for your right life. Don't give in to every easy option that comes your way. Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone & make the sacrifices.

Tomorrow I'll do a lower body workout on the farm before I split to Toronto for some errands and a late night flight to London.

If Britain leaving is Brexit, then what do you call where you go into Britain?

A Brenter?

Because that's what I'm doing this week. Brentering Britain.

Whoa, that sounds weird.

Anyways...

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: The world will try to sabotage your day, your diet, your deals, and your determination. Do not let this happen. Identify all the obstacles in your way and have two solutions for each. Keep in mind your Rules for Living and your Priorities in Life when temptations come a calling. Remember what really matters and stick to it.

Monday, July 04, 2016

It was a super Sunday on the farm, sunny, no chance of rain, and 100% chance of deadlifts.

I like those odds.

So after a great morning of writing, meditation, dog walking and breakfast, it was off to the local YMCA for good times to be had by all.

The gym was empty, no surprise considering the holiday weekend.

Here in Canadia we celebrate Canada on July 1st, similar to the Independence Day celebrated in America on the 4th.

I'm not sure why North American nations tended to be birthed in July. Perhaps it's founding fathers had nothing to do in the dark nights of November, 9 months earlier.

Yeah, reproductive nation joke. Yeah, a groaner.

So what.

Alright, back to deadlifting.

Solid session.

1a) Power Clean

1b) Mobility

2a) Deadlift

2b) Mobility

3a) Chin-up with Knee-up

3b) Leg Curl

That was all.

A sunny afternoon of dog walks, pear cider, and Euro football followed.

Today's kickbutt mindset tip:

Do the work. Pay the price. Earn the reward. Repeat.

There will be days when you struggle. That’s okay. Just never give up on what is important to you…Because whatever is in your way, you’re stronger than it, you’re tougher than it, and you’re going to beat it.

Don’t be satisfied with the norm if you want more. It’s okay to want to achieve special results.

He's worth following if you like the science of training and nutrition and Canadiana.

Anyways, I crashed early... (I think the game was over by then, but perhaps not!)

Got a full 8 hours sleep for the first time in a few days, and then I wrote some articles and hit the gym at the hotel.

1a) DB Chest Press - worked up to a new 2016 PB of 70x16 reps

1b) Face Pull

2) Running Intervals

Felt good to do a few rounds of 9 miles per hour at a 4% incline. Did 1 minute intervals with 1 minute rest.

Tomorrow is my final deadlift day before my annual trip to Europe.

On Wednesday evening I'm off to London, Scotland (several cities & Loch Ness), Dublin, Zurich, Lucerne, and Vilnius. It's in Lithuania that I'll finish my epic summer journey with the 7th annual BlackSmithCamp.com. Again, we have over 50 ambitious attendees from dozens of countries joining us for a life-changing weekend.

Plus, they'll get a few fun bootcamp workouts with ol' CB.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

We’ve just passed the halfway mark of the year.

So let’s use today as our 2nd New Year’s Day.

It’s another chance for you to begin again.

You can choose to make big changes in your life starting right now.

No matter what happened yesterday, or on the weekend, you can get back on track to your big goals and dreams today!

And every step forward takes you farther away from the mistakes of yesterday.

So don’t waste energy on regrets…

…instead learn the lessons, move on, and get better today and tomorrow.

Get back on track for the rest of 2016 this week,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS – If you’re struggling or hurting, remember this…

It’s always darkest before the dawn.

Everyone goes through dark days and dips, but not quitting is what separates success from failure.

There will be days when you struggle. That’s okay. Just never give up on what is important to you…

…Because whatever is in your way, you’re stronger than it, you’re tougher than it, and you’re going to beat it.

But you must truly believe in yourself.

You must end the “I’ll give this a try” mindset, and switch to an, “I’m going to succeed” belief.

When you have that in place, all things are possible through faith in yourself.

Stay strong and get stronger,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PPS – And when you feel stressed…

…when work deadlines collide with family fights, traffic troubles, or chaotic kiddos...

… just remember one of my favorite quotes…

“Enjoy life. Treat it as an adventure. Care passionately about the outcome, but keep it in perspective. Things are seldom as bleak as they seem when they are going wrong – or as good as they seem when they are going well. Lighten up. You’ll live longer.”– Kekich Credo #55